On the recordJanuary 1, 1845
Johnson the privilege of choosing me a name, but told him he must not take from me the name of “Frederick.” I must hold on to that, to preserve a sense of my identity.
Said by
Frederick Douglass
Source
gutenberg.orgFrederick Douglass: “Johnson the privilege of choosing me a name, but told him he must not take from me the name of “Frederick.” I must hold…”
Editor's note · Context
As he sought a new surname after escaping slavery, Douglass insisted on retaining his given first name to maintain his personal identity.
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